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Monday, December 31, 2012

As time passes by we are presented with opportunities to
look backwards in time.We often do this
when a loved one passes or we reach a birthday milestone or whenever a
significant event occurs.Otherwise we
tend to take our personal and business lives one day at a time.

The most often reported regret among older people in the
fall season of their lives is not in what they did, but rather what opportunities
they did not take advantage of, what risks they did not take.Did I do all that I could have, did I waste
any part of my life?

When you are responsible for your business’ well being
and growth it is important to take periodic reviews of where you are and where
you want to be.What goals are you
achieving?What goals would you like to
achieve?

At periodic
intervals it is important to take stock and review.

How are your inventory levels?Are you achieving the number of inventory
turns you expected?What is your
competition doing to erode your customer base that you wish you thought
of?Would you really increase any operational
efficiency by implementing a more fully integrated system?

If you are old enough to remember the Rubik’s Cube, one
of the challenges of the solution was to not look at what you solved, but to
look at what moves were needed to finish the puzzle.I remember getting so close with only a few
color blocks in the wrong position.In
order to successfully finish the puzzle, it was necessary to make a lot of
moves that seemingly canceled what was done.This was the most frustrating point, but necessary for the solution.

Taking a good hard look at your operations is similar to
the above solution.Purchasing, the
supply chain, customer service, warehouse operations, financial reporting,
check processing, receivables, manufacturing and a dozen or so other functions
in your business may all seem to be working.After all, you are making money, but at what rate?What costs are eroding your profitability?

In what areas could
automation increase efficiencies?

Would the trauma and risk of replacing the systems your company
relies on really be a benefit?How do you
calculate the true Return on Investment (ROI)?You know that there is a difference between the upfront costs and
ongoing costs, but how do they figure in the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)?

Would just
upgrading what you are already using be a better investment?

How much would the upgrade or replacement cost?Can I afford to do an update?More importantly, can you afford to not
update?In many cases it may cost more
to not make changes.You want to maximize
your cash flow now, but by delaying it may end up costing more.More in terms of lost customers, lost sales,
and missed opportunities.

Today both people and businesses expect to utilize the
Internet and its’ technologies to speed up purchasing and sales.In what ways is your organization taking
advantage of the great communications highway?In what way is your competition utilizing this medium to increase their
market share?

Business development and growth is a lot like a long
flight.For the majority of the flight
the computer and pilot are making course corrections.Small incremental changes to keep on course,
the most efficient course.Without these
adjustments there would have to be a major change near the end of the flight to
reach your destination.A costly and
time consuming change.

At Dolvin Consulting
we have worked with businesses at both ends of the spectrum.Most were actually somewhere between being completely
out of date and being cutting edge.In
all of the cases we took time to figure out what corrections were needed.Sometimes that meant a quick fix.Sometimes a short term solution with bigger plans
for the future.Sometimes starting anew.

Honestly, we do not know who you are, so we need you to contact us.No pressure, no sales, just
conversation.What are you doing now,
what is holding you back, and where do you want to be in the future.Let us work together to build a plan, work on
the budget, and feel confident that you are making the necessary course
corrections to keep your business competitive.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Before you get ready to run over to the local mall and
buy your next Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, it might make sense to
know what you are trying to fix.Is your
organization trying for better reporting or data management capabilities?How about speeding up order entry and other
customer service related tasks?

It takes time and
you should take time to do a thorough analysis or your current operations
first.

Depending on the size of your organization, you should
budget approximately six months for this task.Your survey should not be judgmental and you should try to minimize
prejudice as to where you think any problems lay.The whole point of a survey and analysis is
to uncover your company’s culture.How
will you know if the solution provider has the same culture mix, if you do not
understand your own?

Once you have identified how you do business, you can
compare that to how you would like to do business or how you thought you were
doing business.

Sometimes small improvements in several areas will
mitigate the needs to immediately replace an ERP system.Still, at other times, the result is that
your company has grown since its last system was put in place and the potential
return from using a new fully integrated system is cost justified and
appropriate.

Once you have made the commitment to grow, change, and
adapt your business to the economy and needs of your current and future
customers, the next step is to find a partner that will work with you to implement
a solution that delivers outstanding customer service.

Without this
integral piece (customer service) addressed there is little reason to move
forward.

You may want to consider the culture and organization of
the ERP solution provider as you do your own organization.Are they corporate focused?Are they family owned and operated?Are they flexible with their product?Will you mold your business to their solution
or will their solution mold to your business?Do they have success stories with other organizations in your
industry?How flexible are they?Will they grow with you?How unique is your business?

Every branch, department and role of your organization
needs to give input to the project.The
underlying principal of any ERP solution is to integrate everything under one
roof.Great efficiency requires integration.From efficiency comes cost reduction and
greater profits.Keep in mind you are
building plans for the future and while the ultimate goal is complete
integration, you can step into this and bring each department or process on in
phases.

The method and process depends on your organizations
needs.You may need to organize in teams
of oversight and application.This
teamwork helps to build consensus and responsibility in the workforce.Once your people take ownership, the commitment
level and resulting quality improve.It
also helps to ensure that people and process are not overlooked.It is helpful to have separate pairs of eyes
look at what you are doing.

Careful planning helps to ensure your project stays on
budget and the promised Return on Investment (ROI) is achieved in the expected
time frame.One of main contributors to
the ERP budget problems comes from looking at the project as a technology
project.

The reason for
change should be business driven, not technology.

There are some rare cases where a company wants to be a
leader and leverage the fact they are using the latest and greatest (you fill
in the blank here).These are usually
showcase examples that really amount to advertising initiatives to make the
organization appear to be more focused than they really are.

True growth is
always tied to a better customer experience.

Ask yourself why you are spending more to shop at one store,
while you could get the equivalent product someplace else for less.Is there something about the quality or location
or you-get-what-you-pay-for thought that sits in the back of everyone’s mind?

It is not the price.Price is important, but the result and the time it takes to get that
result is the driver.So first of all
you need to know what the result will look like and how you expect to achieve
it.Next is finding a partner to help
you get there.Finally, there is the commitment
to make it happen.

At Dolvin Consulting
we work hard to help you help yourself.We have a vested interest in your success. Contact us today to see
what options you have.We do not
bite.If we cannot help you directly,
then we will do our best to connect you with the resources you do need.

Monday, December 10, 2012

“VAI truly
understood our business challenges and developed a flexible solution that has
transformed our organizations’ operations. VAI was able to get both
organizations up and running in six months and we are already delighted by the
results. With truly automated operations and real-time access to critical data,
we are now able to offer customers outstanding service and support that truly
sets us apart from the competition.”

THOUGHT:

It is not only comforting to know that your solution
provider cares, but truly understands your challenges.You business depends on their ability to
deliver the right solution.Nice to know
that your business is important to
your solution provider.

The companies’ previous ERP system limited their ability
to efficiently and cost effectively perform critical every day sales and
service functions. Service billing was a
labor intensive process, as both organizations used paper invoices that needed
to be printed before going to the customers’ sites. In addition, sales and service reps didn’t
have a clear snapshot of what products customers were using, what they were
already billed for and what they already paid. In one instance, inventory processing and billing
were previously delayed by one full week as a result of the salesmen checking
in on a Friday, and then the accounting department entered the sales and cash
receipts during the following week.

THOUGHT:

Any system that limits your ability to do business is a
problem.The whole point of real
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions is to drive efficiency, reduce
costs and make you more profitable.Great solutions do this and enable great customer service.

QUOTE:

Situation Summary

• Manual and offline processes used.

• Labor intensive service billing due to using paper
invoices.

• Inventory processing and billing extensively delayed.

• Limited insight into inventory and customer data.

THOUGHT:

Manual anything is not good.Labor intensive anything is not good.Delayed anything is not good.Limited anything is not good.All of these “not good” items are heavy cost
overhead to a business trying to compete.

Any company that wants to remain competitive and stay in
business needs to concentrate on operational efficiencies which include
billing, inventory and other processing.

QUOTE:

Solution

GLE and HRT evaluated several ERP solutions but
discovered that these offerings were not able to provide them with the
manufacturing processes they needed to ensure streamlined operations and
reduced costs.Madden, along with management
in both companies determined that with its ease-of deployment and real-time
data discovery, VAI S2K was the ideal solution for GLE and HRT.

THOUGHT:

Good to evaluate multiple systems, you want to make sure
your solution fits your challenges.Even
better is the analysis that gives you the metrics to make that decision.Streamlining operations is key to operational
efficiency.Without this no solution
would be worth the investment.

QUOTE:

Business Results

After implementing VAI S2K remote access and service
billing, the entire billing and invoicing process was completely automated,
allowing GLE and HRT to significantly enhance the level of service and support
they provide to customers.

“Not only was the
implementation of VAI S2K seamless and quick, but its performance has been
flawless as well. Since deploying, technicians are no longer burdened with
customer service and billing issues, and we have been able to integrate all of
our ERP systems so that we have one, accurate view of all our data,” said
Madden.

THOUGHT:

Automation is a key component to efficiency and operating
competitively.Really great news is the statement
indicating that their service levels to their customers was improved.Quick implementation is great also as long as
it does come at the compromise of quality and effectiveness.

QUOTE:

Key Benefits

• Rapid implementation.

• Seamless integration of VAI S2K.

• More efficient and up-to-the-minute inventory
management.

• Real-time accounts receivable control.

• Transitioned from paper to electronic records/management.

• Reduction of human error, manual processes and employee
resources.

• DOT sheets can be printed automatically based on truck
loads.

• Suggested truck loads can be obtained and altered in
real-time.

• Royalties and commissions generated automatically in
the system after each sale.

THOUGHT:

·Rapid implementation is good.Who likes to wait to open their Christmas
presents.

·Seamless integrationis the goal of an ERP solution.The more the left hand knows what the right
hand is doing, the more likely anything is to get done.

·Managing inventory is the most challenging and
yet cost savings activity that can be done in an organization.

·Real –time AR as well any real-time information
is critical to making accurate business decisions now, not later.Management needs information to make
decisions.

·We are all in the process of transitioning to
electronic solutions.From personal
banking and other paperwork.Our
businesses should do the same.This
increases efficiencies in the back office as well as in customer service.

·Reduction of human error is a natural byproduct
of investing in an ERP solution.Anytime
a human is involved errors are likely to manifest.

·Producing the right paperwork, when actual paper
is needed, is a good thing.The cost of
corrections and remediation far out way the cost of doing the job right the first
time.

·Real-time information leads itself to being able
to be modified in real-time.Let the
efficiencies rule.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I have made many comments about the published
article.What stands out to you?There are two that I would like to leave with
you.

1.From
my perspective I see a fairly typical company that reached the strong part of
the growth curve and seemingly a sudden inability to keep up.Their old processing worked well with a lower
level of business operations, but that solution did not have the ability to
scale well.

It is like a set of tires on your car.They start out strong and well suited to the
vehicle.Over time the tires wear and
you adjust to the worn tread.Then seemingly
all-of-a-sudden you find you had trouble stopping in enough time or you took a
turn wider than usual.The changes are
happening all the time and you are adjusting, yet at some point you realize
that the tires just need to be replaced, because they are more of a liability
at this point than an asset.

2.Customer
service from the ERP solution provider, in this case VAI, to you enables you to
provide better customer service to your customers.Apply the Golden Rule here (and everywhere
for that matter).Treat others how you
would like to be treated.No rocket
science here.By increasing your ability
to service the needs of your customers, you increase the ability of your
customers to keep doing business with you and to spread the word about how your
relationship with them helps.

THIS IS IMPORTANT:Anything you do, in the name of your business
or anything for that matter must have increased customer service as the driving
factor.Without happy customers you are
out of business.Period.People try to draw
many overlays over an ERP solution.Kind
of like throwing cooked pasta on the fridge.Let us see what sticks and go with that.

Bottom line –
Efficiency is great.Automation is
great.But, ask yourself, WHY?Sure, we all would like more business.In fact I would like you to reach out to me now so we could sit down and
talk.That is right, just talk.No one that I talk with needs what I can
offer at the time we make contact or they need the solutions, but they do not
have budget.So we talk, just talk.Let us find out what keeps you awake at
night.Let us work on your budget so
that you have the information you need to make improvements in your operations
that drive customer satisfaction and increase your profitability.

I do not expect you to say “Wow, let us go to Dolvin and buy something today”.But, I hope and I mean this sincerely, you
will engage me in conversation.I truly
want to help your organization, business, do better.Sometimes this means pointing you in a
different direction.Regardless, we (me,
myself and I) will never try to sell you something you do not need or that will
not help you.

Contact
Dolvin Consulting today.We are here
to help.Here to help you.If you do not like what you hear, then just
hang up.We all have good days and bad
ones.Let us help you have more better
days.

Monday, December 3, 2012

So many organizations dream of greater efficiencies, yet
are faced with budget constraints.Add
to this the pressure to remain competitive and responsive to your customers,
and you have the makings for sleepless nights.

Torn between being
budget responsible and competitive is a tight rope balancing act at best.

Before any investment is made, the underlying motivation
needs to boil down to better customer service.Treat your customers like you would like to be treated.The golden rule applies here too.

So let us assume that you have either already invested in
a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution or perhaps you cannot afford
to invest in a new solution at this point in time, but you are relatively current.What can you do next to empower your
workforce and deliver better customer service?

Most new ERP solutions have Business Intelligence (BI)
modules.This is a great tool to integrate
in your organization, especially if it produced by the same organization.Some solution providers have created their own,
fully integrated BI solution, while others have integrated a well matured
solution to their applications.What
should be a cautionary flag is if you are attempting to build your own
solution.Not that this cannot be done,
but it is time consuming and prone to errors and a lot of debugging.So often the upfront costs of an integrated
solution are absorbed in the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).The do-it-yourself method usually ends up
either costing more or does not deliver a complete solution.

Why is this “integrated”
solution so important?After all any
in-house solution is going to be integrated, right?Will that in-house application be portable to
a mobile workforce?Will there be a web
or Internet access connections?What
devices will connect?Who will have
access?What security protocols are going
to be embedded in the solution?What access
will your customers or suppliers have?Which
of your employees will have access?Who
will develop and who will use the solution?Most of these questions are already pre answered in a packaged solution.There are also many existing reports in a provided
solution.Even if these are not exactly
what you need, they have enough logic built in them to be a good template for a
custom report.

Mobile technology
is another key technology to include in your efficiency drive.Not just in delivery of BI reporting, but in
total access to the various modules.Do
your Salesreps need access to real-time inventory, order, and receivables
information when they are in front of your customers?How will you manage security in all the
various and different mobile technologies?

Do you need Cloud
technologies?This is the new
frontier in solutions.Most
organizations are already starting to incorporate these solutions in part of
their business line.The solutions are
maturing and people are remembering what they learned when they grew up, that
free is not really free and the no charge solutions are either limited or leave
serious questions about ownership and security.

Mobile and Cloud
technologies, if implemented correctly, can drive impressive breakthroughs.Cost and operational efficiencies are
optimized, collaboration with customers, the supply chain, and staff are
improved.Faster and more personalized
customer service results, which results in more loyal customers that know that
you care.

Before venturing out into these new technologies, make
sure that you take the time necessary to discuss them with your trusted advisor
and ERP solution provider.Find out what
resources you will need to add.Find out
what personnel resources will be needed to implement and support the effort.Will there be cost savings?Many times the move to the Cloud shifts
expenses from capital to operational.Regardless it is money invested.Do your homework to ensure it is a wise investment.

You might not have a choice to implement these
technologies, your competition may already be providing it to your customers,
but you do have a choice in how and with whom you implement them.

The process should
be well planned as it will take some time to implement the technologies and
more time to incorporate them in your company’s culture.Regardless, there are costs and a need to budget
the solution.Do you implement them all
at once or add them one at a time?Which
departments will be the first adopters?Do you have trusted customers and/or suppliers to pilot the solutions?How much training will your employees
need?Who will use the solutions?Senior management, sales force, customer
service?

Like anything new, careful planning and internal audits
are key components.You need to know
where you are and where you want to end up.Your budget will determine the timeline for implementation, training and
solution delivery.You should expect a
reasonable Return on Investment (ROI) on any new solution.

The only exception, and it really does apply here too, is
where an organization wants to become a leader in their market place, set the
bar high, and dominate their market.This approach should be done with extreme caution.Too many organizations have fallen flat, because
they were promised the world and no solution was delivered.This happens from a number of different factors,
from training, budget, and a general lack of resources.Regardless, you do not want this to happen to
your company.

The number one question to ask in the very beginning and
at the end of the process is: “Does
this solution empower my organization to deliver superior customer service?If the answer is not YES, then more
homework needs to be done.There might
only be a piece of the puzzle missing that will change a no to a yes answer.

Dolvin Consulting
works with companies like yours to develop and deliver solutions that drive efficiencies,
reduce costs and enable you to become more profitable.Contact us today to see
how we can help your company navigate the constant flux in technologies.

Monday, November 26, 2012

“VAI’s S2K software
allowed us to reach phenomenal efficiencies across the organization. The S2K installation
dramatically improved nearly every part of our business – from accounting and
logistics to inventory and warehouse management. By automating many of these
key functions, our team can focus on critical aspects of our business such as
sales and customer service. And we feel confident that we can continue our
impressive growth trajectory knowing that our business is running as smoothly
and efficiently as possible.” Sal Battaglia Director of Operations, Seacore
Seafood

All Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution providers
claim they can increase efficiencies.Generally they are correct, if their solution is a good match for a
given organization’s challenges.Finding
that match is the hard part.It takes
time to recognize, organize and document your internal processes so that a
great fit is made.Think of this as
finding that just-right pair of gloves.You try on many pairs until you find the one that feels right while also
looking to see how that pair will hold up to use and growth.

VAI Key Benefits:

• Rapid implementation.

• More accurate and up-to-the-minute inventory management.

• Real-time consolidated financials.

• Automation of core business functions yielded more time
to spend on sales and customer service, allowing for faster growth.

• Timely account receivables management.

• Faster customer delivery rates and reduced order
picking time.

• Faster, more accurate order entry.

• Greater inventory accuracy.

• Faster route management processing.

• Full traceability of products.

Thoughts:

·Implementing a solution quickly is a big benefit,
but it is the result of careful planning and doing your homework, much like a recipe.Organize your list, purchase the products,
mix carefully, and bake.

·In the ERP world, more accurate is a fundamental
goal.Achieving it requires actually
using the system as planned.Have
real-time information is a key to staying competitive and providing the
customer service your customers are expecting.This goes for inventory, accounts receivable, order entry, delivery, and
all facets of your operations.

·Automation is the way business stays competitive,
fights costs increases, and improves profitability.

VAI Customer
Profile:

Seacore Seafood is Canada’s leading importer, distributor
and custom processor of fresh and frozen fish, seafood and live lobsters. Since
1987, thousands of wholesale and retail customers have relied on Seacore to
provide fresh, high-quality seafood directly from the source – whether its’
Alaskan crab legs, salmon from Ireland, Maine lobster or barramundi sea bass
from Australia.

VAI Situation
Summary:

• Manual and offline processes used.

• Labor intensive, time consuming processes such as fish
cutting, order picking, order entry, and inventory management.

·Management needs quick, accurate and high level
access to key metrics in any business.Drill down capabilities allow for the details.

·Faster access to information means customers do
not go over credit limits, are engaged more frequently, with more accurate information
and build stronger relationships.

·Some of the greatest cost savings come from
having an accurate inventory.Ordering
is done more accurately, you get and therefore your customers get what they
want and need in a reasonable time frame.

·You avoid under and overstock situations.

Final thoughts:

Selecting an ERP solution is the culmination of a careful
analysis of your organization’s operations, work flow, people, process and
history.What should be included in this
analysis and be on top of the list is why your customers do business with
you.What makes you different?Why should they buy from you?If you prioritize the results of a survey,
the top answer should be quick, efficient, and friendly customer service.

When you look at your customers with mutually vested
interests, then you understand why Seacore found a great partner with VAI.VAI cares as much about Seacore’s business
and operations as they do.Everything
they do is in partnership with Seacore.Seacore has achieved many great results, but their greatest is the
untold bond between ERP provider and ERP user.

Seacore’s people are empowered and use their new tools to
deliver great customer service to their customers.The customers are happier and return over and
over again.In general a happy customer is
loyal and tells others how happy they are.They have their own challenges, just as you do, but your investment in
them are seeds planted in fertile soil.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Supply and Demand Chain website has an article from May
about how VAI’s S2K software has helped J. Polep streamline food distribution
and manufacturing operations and increase efficiency and profitability.

Streamline operations to reduce cost and increase
profitability is why organizations are willing to undergo a transformation in
the first place.How each provider does
that varies and some Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems handle the Food
industry needs better than others.

“As a top supplier
of a host of products ranging from food and beverages, wine and spirits,
tobacco, candy and automotive products, J. Polep needed an advanced solution to successfully meet its business
objectives,” said Joe Scioscia, Vice President of Sales, VAI.

“S2K for Food provides a technology solution
that's specifically designed to meet their industry requirements for food
distribution and manufacturing and provides the flexibility and enhanced
capabilities to meet their future needs.”

Here is an example of a good fit. J Polep has growth plans, knows its current processing
is inadequate and makes a decision to invest in a system that meets their current
needs and provides a flexible growth path for the future.Both the organization and software have the
mutual need and commitment for growth and investment.

“J. Polep was looking for a strong and experienced
enterprise software partner to help support the unique requirements of the food
manufacturing and distribution industries.“

Any organization looks for a strong partner.What is challenging is finding a partner that
has a mutually vested interest in your success.A partner that is known for great customer support. A partner that is and will remain independent
and therefore focuses on their customers.A partner that invests in their product.

“We selected VAI because of their reputation
for outstanding customer support, aggressive product development and experience
in the food manufacturing and distribution industries,” said Lori
Polep, Vice President and Chief Information Officer, J. Polep Distribution
Services.

“VAI S2K will give
us a complete ERP package and strong support team, which is critical to ensuring
our company's ongoing success.”

Great customer support is what your customers expect and
it is what you should expect from your EPR solution provider. A complete package is why you select an ERP
solution.Often companies have good
systems, but grow and their systems do not grow with them.Their old systems become a patchwork of
separate systems tied together with increased overhead.

A “Solution Provider” is an organization that values its
customers and invests in itself so that it can provide the best possible
customer service.Your organization and
your ERP provider need to have this same goal.No upgrade is worth doing, unless better customer service and support
are at the foundation of those changes.

There certainly is no shortage of information on mobility,
the cloud and what business owners wish their employees would be doing.If only there was a way to speed the delivery
of information into and out of our business?That express tunnel of information exists now, but finding the right one
is the challenge.

As the article points out the key is finding the right
tool for the right job.When I made the
mistake a few years ago of commenting on the number of shoes my wife was
collecting, she retorted, they why do you have so many screw drivers.Not catching her point, I tried explaining
that I needed the right tool for the right job.Time has passed since that day and I do not mention the shoes anymore
and she leaves me alone about my collection of tools.

The reality is no different in mobile applications as it is
for in house Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) application systems.An organization needs the right set of applications
(or tools) to get the job done.They do
not need overkill and hundred step processing to place an order, if they simply
have to pick, pack and ship a box off the shelf.

Whatever solution
works is a good start.

My biggest point that I stress with the people I consult
with is “Integration”.There may
be a lot of good systems out there that track all sorts of metrics, but if that
system does not fully integrate with the rest of the systems you are already
using, then you are opening the door for errors, cost increases, and problems.Not that a lot of organizations cannot make
separate systems work, it just tends to take a lot of time, effort and resources
that could be better utilized in cases where an integrated solution did exist.

To be fair, some ERP systems have integrated CRM applications,
but they are an afterthought and are not very functional.In this case you need to be sure the
developer has a solid foundation and commitment to bringing that application up
to today’s standards.If they do not,
then look for one that you can integrate.

The article makes more points, like picking an
application that is device agnostic.This is a nice feature as it generally means you do not have to invest a
whole lot to get the technology in the hands of those who need to use it.I would not be too concerned with this as
functionality and integration are more important.A solid and secure platform is going to be
less work for the auditors and will help you sleep better at night.

We would all like
to save money, but at what future expense?Do not be penny wise and dollar foolish.

Easy to use is
noteworthy and is in direct proportion to training effort and expense.As I mentioned earlier, the application needs
to fit the culture of your enterprise.Simple and effective, the right tool for the right job.Features and benefits are nice, but form and
function are better.

Have a goal and set your direction and budget.Define your needs and allow for future growth.Do not limit your future.A fully integrated system will allow the
expansion of a mobile application base which includes CRM to encompass more
functions in house.

Physical inventory for example.I recently was in a major retailer (big box
store) and saw an employee using an Iphone to check and count inventory.I asked if this was his device or the store’s.I was not sure initially if he was just using
a shopper application to check prices.He
replied that this was the store’s device and that everyone was using them to check
inventory.When it worked, he said it
was great, small and compact, easy to use, it was just they had not quite
perfected its use.

The adoption rate
is almost a non issue today as most people expect mobility and automation.

Even the lay person understands the economics of mass
production and efficiency of scale.What
is difficult is for the smaller business to invest in development.The large companies do so out of necessity
and have the resources to drive adoption.For example, look at how Walmart determines how suppliers sell to
them.A buyer tells the seller what they
have to do to earn the business.Who is
selling who?

Smaller organizations need ready to use applications that
integrate with their line of business systems.They need the ability to customize the solution, add user defined
fields, for example in many cases.But, the
systems need to be able to be implemented without reinventing the wheel.

If the incumbent ERP system does not have a fully integrated
CRM system or integration to a third party solution, nor plans to build one,
then it may be time to invest in a solution that does incorporate CRM.

The very most important aspect of any new application module or software is its ability to improve customer service. If you do not make your customers happy, your competition will.

If your organization is planning to implement or is struggling
with CRM or other mobile technology solutions, then contact Dolvin Consulting.We are here to help you navigate the technological
seas of change with our industry contacts.It will not hurt to ask for help, it only hurts if you continue
adrift.Contact us today for help.